Ecuador calls for show of solidarity on Assange threat

Anna Alban, Ecuador’s Ambassador to London, at the Embassy where Julian Assange has been granted asylumTimes photographer, Mary Turner

British diplomats have scrambled to cool temperatures across South America over a threat to raid Ecuador’s London embassy and remove Julian Assange.

Ecuador has been garnering support from its neighbours since the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, authorised the threat. It is trying to arrange an emergency meeting of the 35-member Organization of American States (OAS), including the United States and Canada, next week.

Britain’s decision last week to up the ante in the Assange affair has irritated South American countries, prompting Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials to arrange a series of meetings with their counterparts in an attempt to dampen the anger.

Despite the apparent unity from South American countries, some in the Ecuadorian media have questioned the motives of President Correa, suggesting that he…